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Interested in studying at Northumbria? With 31,500 students, Northumbria is one of the largest universities in the country, offering courses on either a full-time, part-time or distance learning basis.

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About Us

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This is an ideal course if you have an interest in current affairs, digital industries and enjoy researching and crafting stories.

The Northumbria Media and Journalism course offers a carefully considered mix of theory and practice to develop the skills you need to thrive in this fast moving industry. It will teach you the fundamentals of journalism practice and theory, including news writing, the law and ethics, media production skills, and producing, creating and writing for films.

Graduates of the course are ideally placed for a career in digital news media, the newspaper industry, radio, documentary film and television production.

100% of students say that the staff have made the subject interesting (National Student Survey, 2018)

This is an ideal course if you have an interest in current affairs, digital industries and enjoy researching and crafting stories.

The Northumbria Media and Journalism course offers a carefully considered mix of theory and practice to develop the skills you need to thrive in this fast moving industry. It will teach you the fundamentals of journalism practice and theory, including news writing, the law and ethics, media production skills, and producing, creating and writing for films.

Graduates of the course are ideally placed for a career in digital news media, the newspaper industry, radio, documentary film and television production.

100% of students say that the staff have made the subject interesting (National Student Survey, 2018)

Course Information

UCAS Code PP35

Level of Study Undergraduate

Mode of Study 3 years full-time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad

Book an Open Day
/ Experience Media and Journalism BA (Hons)

Working individually and within groups, you will hone your research, storytelling, presentation and production skills in order to create ethically sensitive, high quality journalism.

Assessment methods are designed to reflect the diverse nature of the programme, combining traditional essays and examinations with quizzes, portfolio work, and individual and group presentations. Assessment in the Film Production module, for example, includes elements which focus on working as a team to produce documentaries.

Our staff act as facilitators throughout, encouraging you to develop the intellectual and interpersonal skills needed to work effectively in the high pressure media world.

Book an Open Day
/ Experience Media and Journalism BA (Hons)

The teaching team combines expertise in academia and industry to ensure we produce graduates with the right balance of academic skills and practical knowledge needed to act professionally, responsibly and ethically in the workplace.

Practical modules are taught by an academic team who have worked for many years in the cut and thrust of the media industry, while theoretical modules are led by lecturers whose research gives a valuable insight and analysis of modern trends.

Among your tutors you will find media professionals from all walks of journalism alongside award-winning producers and directors. Academic support is central to the delivery of the Media and Journalism course, with primary support coming from the Module Tutor.

Book an Open Day
/ Experience Media and Journalism BA (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Media and Journalism. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

Technology Enhanced Learning is embedded in the Media and Journalism programme, both in terms of using technologies for assessment and teaching digital technologies such as big data, infographics and data visualisations.

You will be trained extensively on equipment which not only replicates industry but has, as far as possible, been future-proofed. Contemporary modules such as Hyperlocal Journalism, and Journalism and Design, take full advantage of web authoring and social media to develop your skill sets. Traditional, academic modules are greatly enhanced by the use of the British Universities Film and Video Council’s Box of Broadcasts website.

Throughout this hands-on course you will undertake a number of film productions, culminating in your third year where you will draw on all of you skills to complete a major project, in preparation to enter the industry.

University Library

At the heart of each Northumbria campus, our libraries provide a range of study space and technology to suit every learning style.

Book an Open Day
/ Experience Media and Journalism BA (Hons)

Developing research competence is a crucial element of the course, not least because research lies at the heart of journalism and of most media professions. The Media and Journalism BA is carefully structured to enable increasing levels of independence and autonomous learning.

We prepare you for a career in journalism and related professions, using a variety of learning and teaching approaches which foster the development of critical curiosity and independent action. The course is designed to promote research-rich learning in a challenging and supportive learning environment.

The academic team are actively involved in research across a range of areas including: gender and equality in the media, citizen journalism, activism through journalism, conflict reporting, data journalism and the use of infographics.

70% of Northumbria’s research in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies is rated as being either world leading or internationally excellent.

Book an Open Day
/ Experience Media and Journalism BA (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Media and Journalism. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

Employability, enterprise and entrepreneurship combine to form a strong thread throughout the Media and Journalism degree. All modules promote elements vital in the modern working environment such as intellectual curiosity, communication skills, cultural awareness and moral and ethical values.

Our established links with the local media and cultural sector results in frequent visits and guest lectures by industry professionals. This enables you to build networks, and get a feel for the reality of modern journalism.

You will research, apply for and complete a minimum of 20 days’ work experience in the Professional Placement module. Many of our students have made such a positive impression on their employer during the placement that they have been offered a full-time post upon graduation.

Student Life

A great social scene can be found at the heart of our campuses, featuring award-winning bars and a huge range of clubs and societies to join you'll be sure to meet people who share your enthusiasms.

Course in brief

Your course in brief

Year 1

Year one You will learn basic theoretical concepts as well as the skills of modern journalism: how to write stories across a range of media, produce short films, and work in a modern radio studio. You’ll gain an appreciation of how design plays an important role.

Year 2

Year two You will be tutored in skills aimed at longer form journalism, such as documentary filmmaking and magazine feature writing. You’ll cover additional topics including media law, public relations and other specialist areas.

Year 3

Year three This year focuses on preparing you for work via placements and employability training, a choice between a media project and a dissertation, and a variety of media-related specialist option modules, including celebrity media, fashion journalism and sports journalism.

Who would this Course suit?

This course is ideal for budding journalists looking for an employability-focused route into digital, broadcast and print media. It also opens the door to specialist reporting career paths, including film, fashion, celebrity, sport, or business.

Entry Requirements 2019/20

Standard Entry

GCSE Requirements:

A good GCSE profile is expected including Maths and English Language at minimum grade C or equivalent. If you have studied for a new GCSE for which you will be awarded a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a minimum grade 4.

UCAS Tariff Points:

120-128 UCAS Tariff points including one or more of the following:

GCE and VCE Advanced Level:

From at least 2 GCE/VCE A Levels

Edexcel/BTEC National Extended Diploma:

Distinction, Distinction, Merit

Scottish Highers:

BBBCC - BBBBC at Higher level, CCC - BCC at Advanced Higher

Irish Highers:

BBBBB - ABBBB

IB Diploma:

120-128 UCAS Tariff points including minimum score of 4 in at least three subjects at Higher level

Access to HE Diploma:

Award of full Access to HE Diploma including 18 credits at Distinction and 27 at Merit

Qualification combinations:

The University welcomes applications from students studying qualifications from different qualification types - for example A level and a BTEC qualification in combination, and if you are made an offer you will be asked to achieve UCAS Tariff points from all of the qualifications you are studying at level 3. Should the course you wish to study have a subject specific requirement then you must also meet this requirement, usually from GCE A level or equivalent.

If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English Language Requirements:

International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Entry Requirements 2020/21

Standard Entry

120 UCAS Tariff pointsFrom a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas or the International Baccalaureate

Subject Requirements:There are no specific subject requirements for this course

GCSE Requirements:Students will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4 or C, or the equivalent.

Additional Requirements:There are no additional requirements for this course

International Qualifications:We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications from the UK and worldwide which may not exactly match those shown above. If you have taken qualifications outside the UK you can find out how your qualifications compare by visiting our country page www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English Language Requirements:International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Click here for International undergraduate funding and scholarships information.

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How to Apply

Applications via UCAS

Most full-time and sandwich first degrees, extended degrees, DipHE and HND courses require that application is made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Clearing House.

If you are at school or college, staff there will advise you on how to apply. If you are not at school or college, you can apply using the UCAS secure, web-based online application system ucasapply.

Applicants apply via UCAS apply wherever there is access to the internet, and full instructions and an online help facility is available. Application details can be checked and printed at any time, text for personal statements and references can be copied and pasted into applications from a word processing package, and applications can normally be processed by the relevant Clearing House within one working day once submitted. More details on apply can be found on the UCAS website at www.ucas.com.

The UCAS institution code for Northumbria University is NORTH N77

If you wish to defer your entry, you should ensure you indicate this in section 3i of the application form. Full details of application deadlines and the application fee can be found on the UCAS website. Please note, however, we are unable to consider applications for deferred entry to our Teacher Training, Nursing, Midwifery and Operating Department Practice programmes.

Application Deadlines

Equal consideration is given to all applications received at UCAS by 6.00pm on 15 January. Details of all UCAS deadlines can be found on the UCAS website www.ucas.com.

UCAS will accept applications up to 30 June, but we can only consider these if there are still vacancies in relevant subjects. You are advised to check with the University before applying for popular courses which may already be full. Candidates applying for any courses after early September must follow the UCAS Late Registration Procedure, and we will provide the appropriate form.

Decision Making Process

When we receive your application it will be forwarded to the Admissions Tutor who will consider your application in accordance with the University’s Admissions Policy.

Most subject areas do not require applicants to attend an interview as part of the selection procedure. However, if the standard procedure is to interview candidates, this is specified in the degree programme entrance requirements. Some courses, such as Health, Social Work and Teacher Training, require specific checks or requirements to be put in place during the normal selection process. These are detailed on the individual course details pages.

Fairness and Transparency

The University is committed to a system of admissions that ensures fairness, transparency and equal opportunities within the legal framework of the UK and best practice. All reasonable effort will be made to ensure that no prospective or existing student is unreasonably treated less favourably on the grounds of age, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, creed, disability, sexual orientation, gender, marital or parental/carer status, political belief or social or economic class, or any other type of discrimination.

What Happens Next

You will receive one of the following from UCAS or our Admissions Office:

Conditional offer which depends on you achieving certain grades from forthcoming examinations, completing relevant checks, or other requirements prior to entry. You may be asked to send us a copy of your certificates/qualifications once these have been received to enable us to confirm your offer. Not all examination results are sent to Universities via UCAS.

Unconditional offer if you have already satisfied entry requirements.

Reject your application.

Tuition Fee Assessment

Tuition fees are set at different levels for Home/EU and International Students. Before you begin your course the University must establish your tuition fee status. In many cases, the University will be able to make this assessment without requiring any additional information.

Guidance can be found on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website www.ukcisa.org.uk to help you understand how Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) make an assessment on your fee status.

Selection Process

Interviews

Applicants who may not have the standard entry qualifications are welcome to apply and may be interviewed. Some courses will interview as part of the selection process. This applies particularly to courses in art and design, teaching and health.

Health Screening

Applicants for Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Primary (Early Years) and Social Work will be required to complete a health questionnaire, and you may be required to attend a doctor or nurse assessment at the University Health Centre.

Prior to beginning your programme, all applicants to Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy are advised to start a course of Hepatitis B vaccinations, available from your own GP. In addition, Midwifery applicants must provide evidence before they commence training that they are immune to Hepatitis B or have Hepatitis B non-carried status.

Applicants to these courses who have had contact with MRSA in the previous 6 months may be asked to provide evidence that they are not colonised by submitting negative swabs results prior to commencement of training. Alternatively, you may be screened on commencement of the programme.

All applicants will receive vaccination screening at the University Health Centre on commencement of their programme.

Disclosure of Criminal Background

To help the University reduce the risk of harm or injury to any member of its community caused by the criminal behaviour of other students, it must know about any relevant criminal convictions an applicant has.

Relevant criminal convictions are only those convictions for offences against the person, whether of a violent or sexual nature, and convictions for offences involving unlawfully supplying controlled drugs or substances where the conviction concerns commercial drug dealing or trafficking. Convictions that are spent (as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) are not considered to be relevant and you should not reveal them - unless you are applying for one of the courses outlined within the following paragraph.

If you are applying for courses in teaching, health, social work and courses involving work with children or vulnerable adults, you must complete the section of your UCAS application form entitled ‘Criminal Convictions’. You must disclose anycriminal convictions, including spent sentences and cautions (including verbal cautions) and bindover orders. Further information on how to complete this section is available from the UCAS booklet ‘How to Apply’. For these courses, applicants are required to undergo police clearance for entry and will need to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced disclosure form.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). Access to the DBS checking service is only available to registered employers who are entitled by law to ask an individual to reveal their full criminal history, including spent convictions - also known as asking 'an exempted question'. The University is such a 'registered employer' and will send you the appropriate documents to fill in if you are offered a place in the course.

If you are convicted of a relevant criminal offence after you have applied, you must tell UCAS and the University. Do not send details of the offence; simply tell UCAS and the University that you have a relevant criminal conviction. You may then be asked to supply more details.

Anti-fraud Checks

Please note that both UCAS and the University follow anti-fraud procedures to detect and prevent fraudulent applications. If it is found that an applicant supplies a fraudulent application then it will be withdrawn.

Plagiarism

Applicants suspected of providing, or found to have provided, false information will be referred to UCAS if their application was made via UCAS. The same is true for applicants who are suspected of omitting, or found to have omitted, information that they are required to disclose according to UCAS regulations. Applications identified by UCAS’s Similarity Detection software to contain plagiarised material will be considered on an individual basis by Admissions Staff, taking into account the nature, relevance and importance of the plagiarism. The University reserves the right to cancel an application or withdraw any offer made if it is found that an application contains false, plagiarised or misleading information.

Extra

The Extra process enables applicants who have not been offered a place, or have declined all offers received, can use EXTRA to apply for other courses that still have vacancies before Clearing starts. The Extra process normally operates from late February until the end of June and Applicants should use the Course Search facility at UCAS to find which courses have vacancies.

Clearing

If you have not succeeded in gaining a place at your firm or insurance university, UCAS will send you details about Clearing, the procedure which matches course vacancies with students who do not have a university place. Information about degree vacancies at Northumbria is published in the national press; and you can also find information on our dedicated Clearing web pages during this period. We operate a Helpline - 0191 40 60 901 - throughout the Clearing period for enquiries about course vacancies.

AdjustmentIf an applicant has both met and exceeded the conditions of their firmly accepted offer, they will have up to five calendar days from the time their place was confirmed (or A level results day, whichever is the later) to research places more appropriate to their performance. Applicants will have to nominate themselves for this system, and their eligibility will be confirmed by the institution they apply to adjust to.

Going to University from CareNorthumbria University is proud of its work in widening participation of young people and adults to university. We have recently been successful in being awarded the Frank Buttle Trust Quality Mark for Care Leavers in Higher Education. This mark was created to recognise institutions who go that extra mile to support students who have been in public care. To find out more, visit our Going to University from Care web page.

Disabled Students

Northumbria welcomes enquiries and applications from disabled students whether disability is due to mobility or sensory impairment, specific learning difficulties, mental health issues or a medical condition. Applications from disabled students are processed in the usual way, but applicants should declare their disability at the application stage so that the University can contact them to assess how to meet any support needs they may have. Disabled applicants may be invited to visit the University so that this can be done in person.

The University reserves the right at any stage to request applicants and enrolling students to provide additional information about any aspect of their application or enrolment. In the event of any student providing false or inaccurate information at any stage, and/or failing to provide additional information when requested to do so, the University further reserves the right to refuse to consider an application, to withdraw registration, rescind home fees status where applicable, and/or demand payment of any fees or monies due to the University.

Modules Overview 2019/20

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Year one

MP4001 -

Media Practice (Core,20 Credits)

Media Practice’ introduces you to core practical skills and issues in contemporary media production. As part of production teams, you will learn basic skills and guidance to write, research, plan, shoot, and edit a short (3-4 minute) documentary style film focussing on a person of your choice using industry-standard equipment. The film will tell an interesting and individual story about your subject, using narrative and character to engage the viewer. You will also complete a Production Health and Safety course and develop skills in pitching ideas to reflect industry requirements. Alongside your Group Production work, you will continue to develop an Individual Portfolio, based on your original Research, Proposal and Treatment documents.

MP4002 -

Practices of Journalism (Core,20 Credits)

This module examines the historical evolution of journalism, examines its contemporary structures and cultures, and identifies the main issues confronting its future development. It integrates academic and journalistic perspectives to provide a wide-ranging introduction to the critical study of those policies and practices which determine journalistic production and consumption; and it equips those students contemplating a career in journalism with a comprehensive knowledge of its salient characteristics. The second half of the module looks at the role of the media and journalists in the democratic process. It looks at politics, elections and public administration at local, regional, national and European levels. You will learn how to cover political events and have an understanding of concepts of bias, objectivity, fairness and balance in political reporting. It will also look at rules of election reporting. You are also given a basic grounding in media law and the legal structures and environments in which journalists operate as well as newspaper and broadcast regulation.

MP4004 -

Broadcast Journalism Practice (Core,20 Credits)

This module gives you an introduction to radio journalism by exploring, understanding and putting into practice the range of skills needed to operate as a Broadcast Journalist. Essential skills for any journalist are the ability to locate stories, to source and research them and to present them. This module concentrates on providing the technical and editorial skills/strategies which will permit graduate journalists to operate effectively in a professional radio newsroom. It introduces you to the basic techniques of interviewing and newsgathering, whilst emphasising the twin goals of speed and accuracy. You will be expected to exercise the appropriate degree of planning, initiative and autonomy in their professional practice. Voice and presentation training will be given in small groups as well as on an individual basis.

MP4006 -

Journalism and Design (Core,20 Credits)

This module aims to introduce you to the principles of design and animation so they combine good journalism with a good-looking product. You will develop skills in research, interviewing and writing and apply them to produce a portfolio of work in appropriately designed formats. You will also learn about how to interrogate data to produce stories and/or infographics.

MP4016 -

Writing for Digital (Core,20 Credits)

The purpose of the module Writing for Digital is to learn the basics of how to identify stories, source information, interview and write journalism for a range of publications including newspapers and online. As such you will learn to become an independent journalist, developing a sense of what is news and the best means to tell a story across a variety of media.

MP4017 -

Key Debates in Media History (Core,20 Credits)

This module sketches the creation of the modern media and the development of modern ‘mass’ media communications and the significance this has for contemporary society. It begins with a consideration of pre-renaissance methods of communication, focusing on the importance of inscriptions to public communication and highlighting the enduring nature of this and other forms of public communication. The nature and function of early manuscripts and the significance of these to the social whole is explored. The module will chart the practice and social consequences of printing in the fifteenth century, photography and the news print media in the nineteenth; radio, cinema, television and, advertising in the twentieth century. The module concludes with an introduction to information and communication technologies (ICTs). The module aims to chart and debate the main historical developments in the creation of the contemporary mass media and relate these to politics and contemporary society.

YC5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

Year two

AD5020 -

Social Sciences Study Abroad (40 credit) (Optional,40 Credits)

The Study Abroad module is a semester based 40 credit module which is available on degree courses which facilitate study abroad within the programme. You will undertake a semester of study abroad at a European University under the ERASMUS+ exchange scheme or at an approved partner University elsewhere. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. The course of study abroad will be constructed to meet the learning outcomes for the programme for the semester in question, dependent on suitable modules from the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria). The module will be assessed by conversion of graded marks from the host University.

Learning outcomes on the year-long modules on which the student is unable to attend the home institution must be met at the host institution, and marks from the host are incorporated into the modules as part of the overall assessment.

MI5009 -

Applied Media Production Skills (Core,20 Credits)

This module follows on from MP4001 Media Practice. It enables you to build on prior production experience, by choosing a specific practical skill in the field of film and television production, developing this skill through independent research and practice, and applying it in a group production project. This mirrors industry practice, where individual professionals tend to specialise in a specific skill area; for example, production teams are usually made up of freelancers, hired for their specific expertise in a technical, editorial or production role – cameraperson, director, assistant producer, editor and so on. On this module, you research current professional practice in your chosen skill, working in a group to develop your own individual practical proficiency. You develop a Learning Journal containing both written and, if appropriate, video evidence of your progress. This forms the basis of an enhanced reflective commentary that is submitted digitally. A final production will form the basis of the final assessment. An indicative syllabus of weekly sessions is as follows:

1. Introduction: discussion and selection of individual skill areas2. The role of the Learning Journal: goals and steps3-5 Classes on specific skill areas, such as: camerawork and lighting; research and development; editing; directing; writing and presenting6 Presentation of student research findings on current industry skills practice7-11 Development of practical production teams and group/individual practical production work

MP5002 -

Media Law and Ethics (Core,20 Credits)

‘Media Law and Ethics’ investigates law and ethical conduct for print, online and broadcast journalists in the UK. It explores the current structure of media law and the court system. It also considers the ethical expectations and obligations of journalism as well as the constraints they create for journalists. This module aims to equip you with a critical awareness of the legal and ethical restrictions which will have an impact on the way you work as a journalist. Using contemporary examples as well as well-known cases, you will learn about the processes of the criminal court system and how to report its proceedings within the law.

MP5003 -

Practical Magazine Journalism (Core,20 Credits)

‘Practical Magazine Journalism’ aims to give you the practical skills to operate as a magazine journalist within an understanding of the wider context of industry and society. Teaching will encourage independent learning and production of original work. You will learn to analyse and critique contemporary magazine styles in order to develop your writing across a variety of magazine-based work, including profiles, news items and longer features. At the end of this module you will be able to gather and write magazine stories.

MP5005 -

Hyper-Local Journalism (Core,20 Credits)

‘Hyperlocal Journalism’ will prepare you to produce factual and insightful information and to disseminate it amongst audiences located in specific geographic areas, such as universities, neighbourhoods, and communities that share lifestyles and routines which converge around particular locations and/or areas of interest. Using our newsroom you will learn to develop skills in citizen journalism. You will produce a portfolio of two online multimedia news packages for assessment on this module, as well as develop a list of high-quality news contributors and reflect on their suitability for original news stories.

MP5010 -

Public Relations (Optional,20 Credits)

In ‘Public Relations’ you will be introduced to the study and practise of public relations. This will involve both the analysis of campaigns and the production of materials appropriate to the PR management at a strategic and tactical level including events, corporate identity management, lobbying and other associated activities. The module will also introduce you to an understanding of the conduct of public relations in the context of the media in particular and a due consideration will be give to the reconciliation of client and audience needs and how these might be balanced.

MP5021 -

Media Methodologies (Core,20 Credits)

The purpose of this module is to introduce you to key theories and approaches employed when researching media, and provide you with the practical skills needed to undertake a major independent research in your final year (the dissertation). In the first half of this module, you will engage with the key processes involved in designing an academic research project, undertaking the research work and analysis, and presenting the results. In the process, you will be shown how to position your work in relation to an intellectual context; construct research questions that are practical and realistic; implement appropriate methodologies; write research proposals; and structure longer written projects (such as dissertations). The second half of the module will put research approaches in focus; academic experts will provide sessions on particular methodological approaches such as analysing media texts and archival research.

MP5023 -

Media Industries (Optional,20 Credits)

You will examine mass communications in the context of contemporary practices, trends, developments and trajectories that have developed and are developing within contemporary mass communication industries. The module takes a distinctive pedagogic approach in that the core of the module consists of three team-taught and research-led ‘symposiums’ that address a specific debate, development or controversy within the field of mass communication industries (broadcast, digital, advertising) and enable you to acquire a critical, multi-perspective, and evaluative grounding in the issues shaping such industries. Complementing and reinforcing the Media staff-led symposiums will be a series of lectures provided by industry guest speakers (from television, radio, advertising and digital/web companies) that will provide practical and state-of-the-art insights into key issues underpinning mass communication operations and developments. Finally, two workshop sessions will be based upon you undertaking personal research into salient issues (the front-facing components of Apple stores, the ‘brand’ and customer typology) and research-informed reflexive approaches to social networking technologies.

YC5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

Year three

AD5017 -

Social Sciences Work Placement Year (Optional,120 Credits)

The Work Placement Year module is a 120 credit year-long module available on degree courses which include a work placement year, taken as an additional year of study at level 5 and before level 6 (the length of the placement(s) will be determined by your programme but it can be no less than 30 weeks. You will undertake a guided work placement at a host organisation. This is a Pass/Fail module and so does not contribute to classification. When taken and passed, however, the Placement Year is recognised in your transcript as a 120 credit Work Placement Module and on your degree certificate in the format – “Degree title (with Work Placement Year)”. The learning and teaching on your placement will be recorded in the work placement agreement signed by the placement provider, the student, and the University.

Note: Subject to placement clearance; this is a competitive process and a place on the module cannot be guaranteed.

AD5018 -

Social Sciences Study Abroad Year (Optional,120 Credits)

The Study Abroad Year module is a full year 120 credit module which is available on degree courses which include a study abroad year which is taken as an additional year of study at level 5 and before level 6. You will undertake a year of study abroad at a European University under the ERASMUS+ exchange scheme or at an approved partner University elsewhere. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. The course of study abroad will be dependent on the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria). Your study abroad year will be assessed on a pass/fail basis. It will not count towards your final degree classification but, if you pass, it is recognised in your transcript as a 120 credit Study Abroad Module and on your degree certificate in the format – “Degree title (with Study Abroad Year)”.

Note: Subject to placement clearance; this is a competitive process and a place on the module cannot be guaranteed.

AT5004 -

Year in International Business (This is made up of 5 modules studied in Newcastle (Semester 1) & Amsterdam (Semester 2) (Optional,120 Credits)

This overarching module descriptor covers the Year in International Business which is made up of 5 modules which students study in Newcastle (semester 1) and Amsterdam (semester 2).

This additional year of studies has been designed to develop students’ business awareness and their soft skills through a semester of study in the UK followed by engagement in studying in Amsterdam and working on real business projects to further enhance and develop this knowledge, skills and attributes.

Semester 1 in the UK comprises three 20-credit modules aimed at students new to business and management, which also equips the students for a semester in Amsterdam, working in teams on a “real-world”, client facing project. Of the modules studies in Semester 1 provide students with the “soft”, “analytical” and “project management” skills necessary to embark on a “real-world” client-centred consultancy project in Semester 2. In Semester 2, students will work move to Amsterdam and study two modules on Northumbria licensed premises. The first module, Group Business Consultancy Project, is a Level 5 40 credit Consultancy Project providing a supported and challenging experience with real business supervised by Northumbria and possibly Dutch academics. The final module complements the development of business knowledge and application through a contextualised consideration of International Business. This will also add to the Business Consultancy experience, thereby guaranteeing a coherent business experience.

In semester 1, students will learn in an environment aligned to that of business students on full time programmes. A mixture of large group and small group sessions will take place. In semester 2, in accordance with the experiential learning pedagogical approach in the Business Clinic operated at Newcastle Business School, the group consultancy work will involve students working in groups, facilitated by academics but also independently and amongst their peers in collaborative project work to provide real business consultancy. Assessment has been developed in accordance with Northumbria’s Assessment for Learning principles including a broad mix of assessment appropriate to the learning outcomes being assessed and with opportunities for formative feedback.

A student who passes all modules will, on successful completion of their undergraduate programme of study, have the title “(Year in International Business UK and Amsterdam)” added to their degree award title. Students who do not pass 120 credits will have those modules that have been completed recorded on their transcript.

Year four

MI6010 -

Adaptations on Film and TV (Optional,20 Credits)

In ‘Adaptations on Film and TV’ you will examine the practical and theoretical debates around the translation of a variety of texts into films and television programmes. A broad-range of case studies is covered, from adaptations of ‘high art’ such as Shakespeare and literary fiction, to the conversion of popular fiction, comic-books and supposedly ‘unfilmable’ sources. As well as considering issues of authorship and originality, you will consider the complex relationship between film, television and other media forms, from music and video-gaming to theme-park rides. Films and programmes under discussion are likely to include examples such as Adaptation, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, Sherlock, Doom, The Walking Dead, Band of Brothers, Star Trek amongst others.

MP6001 -

Professional Placement (Core,20 Credits)

This module guides you in the identification and successful completion of a work experience placement within the broader media industry; you then write a reflective report on that experience detailing how you applied skills taught elsewhere on the course. The work placement or portfolio of visits totals a minimum of four weeks (20 days). The intention is that every student will gain experience of work placement in the journalism and/or media industry, learning not only a basic understanding of the production processes at placement organisations but, using skills taught on the course, learn to become part of the placement organisation team, thereby making a meaningful contribution wherever possible to the output. You also gain insight into employability by developing CVs, personal branding skills and job interview techniques via a series of lectures and seminars. The placement is a requirement of our accreditation body, The Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) for the BA (Hons) Journalism award.

MP6004 -

Reporting Risk and Conflict (Core,20 Credits)

‘Reporting Risk and Conflict’ will equip you with knowledge and skills to critically reflect on, and analyse, how issues and events of risk and conflict are reported within contemporary national and global contexts. It will provide you with the opportunity to explore the reporting of war and conflict, genocide and political/civil unrest, political and economic risks and environmental disasters using case studies in global society. It will provide you with the knowledge and skills to analyse reporting of risk and conflict within the context of critical journalism theory and research. By the end of the module, you will have gained, at the appropriate level, knowledge and skills to engage in key debates involving the reporting, under-reporting or mis-reporting of risk and conflict societies; critically explore the factors that shape the reporting of risk and conflict; appreciate the role of the news media in the social construction, or in the management/prevention, of risk and conflict societies.

MP6005 -

Practical Media Project (Optional,40 Credits)

‘Practical Media Project’ will develop and hone practical skills that you have been taught on earlier modules and found an interest in throughout your first two years study. Through practice and support from your allocated supervisor you will not only build upon the skills that you have learnt so far, but will also develop transferable skills that are industry facing as well as transferrable to other career paths. The project involves engaging in project design, considering ethical issues, researching, organising one’s time, planning, synthesising ideas, analysing current media trends, expressing your ideas and findings in a scholarly fashion, and producing a final practical outcome in a medium of your choice that adheres to both academic and industry standards.

MP6006 -

Media Dissertation (Optional,40 Credits)

‘Media Dissertation’ involves the researching and writing of an 8,000-10,000 word media-related dissertation on a subject of your own choosing. You should attend a series of mandatory lecture/workshop sessions in which the fundamental requirements of preparing and researching a dissertation will be examined and explained. These sessions will be spread across semester 1 and semester 2. In Semester 1, you will develop your initial dissertation proposal up to the point where you are ready to start writing the dissertation itself. You will develop your information-retrieval skills, familiarise yourself with your chosen subject, find solutions to any problems arising out of your research design, consider the significance of any ethical constraints, formulate your principal research question, and determine the methodology you will use. You are required to complete a 2000 word dissertation plan as part of your progress (however, the module grade will be entirely assessed against your final 8000-10000 word dissertation). In Semester 2 you will develop and amend the ideas in your dissertation plan, carry out further research, prepare and write the final dissertation. Supervision will continue to be provided through regular meetings with your supervisor.

MP6021 -

Mass Communication Case Study (Optional,20 Credits)

This module will provide a space to familiarize yourself with the case study as a tool for the investigation of social, economic, cultural and technological phenomena connected with the field of mass communication studies. Whether your interests lie in how working class people or standards of beauty are represented in the media, success stories in the market of mobile apps, use of social media for marketing purposes or how Twitter is used in discussion of popular television, this module will offer you a mix of knowledge, materials of reference and guidance to engage in choosing, planning, conducting and writing a case study for your assessment. A key component of the module will involve the study of iconic case studies such as Apple, Sony, Microsoft, Google, News International Corporation and Al Jazeera, through which you'll be able to identify the characteristics of well-designed study cases. The module will be a valuable experience to learn aspects of the research process you could apply for writing essays, under- and postgraduate dissertations, whilst providing you with skills you could apply in a variety of professions such as journalism, marketing, public relations, and policy-making.

MP6029 -

Cinema and Society (Optional,20 Credits)

In this module, you will critically examine the relationship between US filmic institutions (films and industrial bodies – hereafter “cinema”) and different social contexts, including, for example: changes to the Hollywood Studio System (and the birthing of the “New Hollywood”), cinema’s responses to war and global trauma, and cinema’s engagement with issues surrounding race, gender and sexuality. Taught through lectures, demonstrations (film screenings) and student-led seminars, the course explores many of the ways cinema has engaged with key societal concerns.

You will be required to read and reflect on specific theoretical and empirical academic work by leading scholars and commentators and, using your analytical and interpretive skills, relate this work to the issues raised in class and by the accompanying film screenings. The module is assessed by a 3000 word essay which is designed to test your knowledge of film history and industry (one of the world's major mass communications industries), to evidence a sophisticated understanding of the issues under scrutiny, and your ability to work to a deadline. Ultimately, the module asks you to consider: What is the significance of studying cinema as a mass communications industry, an outlet for personal expression, and as a political tool? What can cinema tells us about history? What can cinema tell us about ourselves?

MP6036 -

Journalism Employability Portfolio (Optional,20 Credits)

In this module you will consider where your strengths lie in the field if journalism (or your chosen post-graduation career path) and thus what profession, activity or further study would suit you. Research and investigation of current practice is at the core of the module. Your work will reflect current contemporary practice in journalism (or your chosen profession) while taking an approach of curiosity, creativity and experimentation, showing understanding of the roles and responsibilities in your chosen field. You will realise a comprehensive and dynamic exit portfolio of work that demonstrates your capabilities as a professional journalist. You will be encouraged and supported to present your skills and abilities in a manner appealing to a potential employer, highlighting employability and flexibility through your individual project outcomes. Your in-depth research skills will translate into polished final outputs, equipping you with industry-standard knowledge of contemporary practice, technological insight and a professional and employable skill set.

MP6037 -

Sport, Media and Society (Optional,20 Credits)

‘Sport, Media and Society’ is designed so you learn to apply critical thought, sociological analysis and relevant theories to contemporary mediated-sport. The content will necessarily be dynamic and continually evolving to reflect the fluid nature of the relationship between contemporary sport and the media (particularly through the development of new and social media) as well as related theoretical and political debates. However, the module will be built around the following key themes which are likely to remain central to it• The history of mass media, using sports media as an exemplary case study, with focus on related social and cultural institutions (eg advertising and government)• Sports-media as an agent of socialisation and source of social and cultural power.• The emergence of ‘new’ and ‘social’ media (including, but not limited to, Twitter, Periscope, gambling, gaming) and its impact on traditional forms of media as well as the construction of sports-media narratives, identity and other social relations.• Underlying theoretical, ethical and political issues in the relationship between sport and the mass media, including, but not limited to, the representation of gender, sexuality, class and regional and national identities.

YC5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

Modules Overview 2020/21

Modules

Year one

MP4001 -

Media Practice (Core,20 Credits)

Media Practice’ introduces you to core practical skills and issues in contemporary media production. As part of production teams, you will learn basic skills and guidance to write, research, plan, shoot, and edit a short (3-4 minute) documentary style film focussing on a person of your choice using industry-standard equipment. The film will tell an interesting and individual story about your subject, using narrative and character to engage the viewer. You will also complete a Production Health and Safety course and develop skills in pitching ideas to reflect industry requirements. Alongside your Group Production work, you will continue to develop an Individual Portfolio, based on your original Research, Proposal and Treatment documents.

MP4002 -

Practices of Journalism (Core,20 Credits)

This module examines the historical evolution of journalism, examines its contemporary structures and cultures, and identifies the main issues confronting its future development. It integrates academic and journalistic perspectives to provide a wide-ranging introduction to the critical study of those policies and practices which determine journalistic production and consumption; and it equips those students contemplating a career in journalism with a comprehensive knowledge of its salient characteristics. The second half of the module looks at the role of the media and journalists in the democratic process. It looks at politics, elections and public administration at local, regional, national and European levels. You will learn how to cover political events and have an understanding of concepts of bias, objectivity, fairness and balance in political reporting. It will also look at rules of election reporting. You are also given a basic grounding in media law and the legal structures and environments in which journalists operate as well as newspaper and broadcast regulation.

MP4004 -

Broadcast Journalism Practice (Core,20 Credits)

This module gives you an introduction to radio journalism by exploring, understanding and putting into practice the range of skills needed to operate as a Broadcast Journalist. Essential skills for any journalist are the ability to locate stories, to source and research them and to present them. This module concentrates on providing the technical and editorial skills/strategies which will permit graduate journalists to operate effectively in a professional radio newsroom. It introduces you to the basic techniques of interviewing and newsgathering, whilst emphasising the twin goals of speed and accuracy. You will be expected to exercise the appropriate degree of planning, initiative and autonomy in their professional practice. Voice and presentation training will be given in small groups as well as on an individual basis.

MP4006 -

Journalism and Design (Core,20 Credits)

This module aims to introduce you to the principles of design and animation so they combine good journalism with a good-looking product. You will develop skills in research, interviewing and writing and apply them to produce a portfolio of work in appropriately designed formats. You will also learn about how to interrogate data to produce stories and/or infographics.

MP4016 -

Writing for Digital (Core,20 Credits)

The purpose of the module Writing for Digital is to learn the basics of how to identify stories, source information, interview and write journalism for a range of publications including newspapers and online. As such you will learn to become an independent journalist, developing a sense of what is news and the best means to tell a story across a variety of media.

MP4017 -

Key Debates in Media History (Core,20 Credits)

This module sketches the creation of the modern media and the development of modern ‘mass’ media communications and the significance this has for contemporary society. It begins with a consideration of pre-renaissance methods of communication, focusing on the importance of inscriptions to public communication and highlighting the enduring nature of this and other forms of public communication. The nature and function of early manuscripts and the significance of these to the social whole is explored. The module will chart the practice and social consequences of printing in the fifteenth century, photography and the news print media in the nineteenth; radio, cinema, television and, advertising in the twentieth century. The module concludes with an introduction to information and communication technologies (ICTs). The module aims to chart and debate the main historical developments in the creation of the contemporary mass media and relate these to politics and contemporary society.

YC5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

Year two

AD5020 -

Social Sciences Study Abroad (40 credit) (Optional,40 Credits)

The Study Abroad module is a semester based 40 credit module which is available on degree courses which facilitate study abroad within the programme. You will undertake a semester of study abroad at a European University under the ERASMUS+ exchange scheme or at an approved partner University elsewhere. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. The course of study abroad will be constructed to meet the learning outcomes for the programme for the semester in question, dependent on suitable modules from the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria). The module will be assessed by conversion of graded marks from the host University.

Learning outcomes on the year-long modules on which the student is unable to attend the home institution must be met at the host institution, and marks from the host are incorporated into the modules as part of the overall assessment.

MI5009 -

Applied Media Production Skills (Core,20 Credits)

This module follows on from MP4001 Media Practice. It enables you to build on prior production experience, by choosing a specific practical skill in the field of film and television production, developing this skill through independent research and practice, and applying it in a group production project. This mirrors industry practice, where individual professionals tend to specialise in a specific skill area; for example, production teams are usually made up of freelancers, hired for their specific expertise in a technical, editorial or production role – cameraperson, director, assistant producer, editor and so on. On this module, you research current professional practice in your chosen skill, working in a group to develop your own individual practical proficiency. You develop a Learning Journal containing both written and, if appropriate, video evidence of your progress. This forms the basis of an enhanced reflective commentary that is submitted digitally. A final production will form the basis of the final assessment. An indicative syllabus of weekly sessions is as follows:

1. Introduction: discussion and selection of individual skill areas2. The role of the Learning Journal: goals and steps3-5 Classes on specific skill areas, such as: camerawork and lighting; research and development; editing; directing; writing and presenting6 Presentation of student research findings on current industry skills practice7-11 Development of practical production teams and group/individual practical production work

MP5002 -

Media Law and Ethics (Core,20 Credits)

‘Media Law and Ethics’ investigates law and ethical conduct for print, online and broadcast journalists in the UK. It explores the current structure of media law and the court system. It also considers the ethical expectations and obligations of journalism as well as the constraints they create for journalists. This module aims to equip you with a critical awareness of the legal and ethical restrictions which will have an impact on the way you work as a journalist. Using contemporary examples as well as well-known cases, you will learn about the processes of the criminal court system and how to report its proceedings within the law.

MP5003 -

Practical Magazine Journalism (Core,20 Credits)

‘Practical Magazine Journalism’ aims to give you the practical skills to operate as a magazine journalist within an understanding of the wider context of industry and society. Teaching will encourage independent learning and production of original work. You will learn to analyse and critique contemporary magazine styles in order to develop your writing across a variety of magazine-based work, including profiles, news items and longer features. At the end of this module you will be able to gather and write magazine stories.

MP5005 -

Hyper-Local Journalism (Core,20 Credits)

‘Hyperlocal Journalism’ will prepare you to produce factual and insightful information and to disseminate it amongst audiences located in specific geographic areas, such as universities, neighbourhoods, and communities that share lifestyles and routines which converge around particular locations and/or areas of interest. Using our newsroom you will learn to develop skills in citizen journalism. You will produce a portfolio of two online multimedia news packages for assessment on this module, as well as develop a list of high-quality news contributors and reflect on their suitability for original news stories.

MP5010 -

Public Relations (Optional,20 Credits)

In ‘Public Relations’ you will be introduced to the study and practise of public relations. This will involve both the analysis of campaigns and the production of materials appropriate to the PR management at a strategic and tactical level including events, corporate identity management, lobbying and other associated activities. The module will also introduce you to an understanding of the conduct of public relations in the context of the media in particular and a due consideration will be give to the reconciliation of client and audience needs and how these might be balanced.

MP5021 -

Media Methodologies (Core,20 Credits)

The purpose of this module is to introduce you to key theories and approaches employed when researching media, and provide you with the practical skills needed to undertake a major independent research in your final year (the dissertation). In the first half of this module, you will engage with the key processes involved in designing an academic research project, undertaking the research work and analysis, and presenting the results. In the process, you will be shown how to position your work in relation to an intellectual context; construct research questions that are practical and realistic; implement appropriate methodologies; write research proposals; and structure longer written projects (such as dissertations). The second half of the module will put research approaches in focus; academic experts will provide sessions on particular methodological approaches such as analysing media texts and archival research.

MP5023 -

Media Industries (Optional,20 Credits)

You will examine mass communications in the context of contemporary practices, trends, developments and trajectories that have developed and are developing within contemporary mass communication industries. The module takes a distinctive pedagogic approach in that the core of the module consists of three team-taught and research-led ‘symposiums’ that address a specific debate, development or controversy within the field of mass communication industries (broadcast, digital, advertising) and enable you to acquire a critical, multi-perspective, and evaluative grounding in the issues shaping such industries. Complementing and reinforcing the Media staff-led symposiums will be a series of lectures provided by industry guest speakers (from television, radio, advertising and digital/web companies) that will provide practical and state-of-the-art insights into key issues underpinning mass communication operations and developments. Finally, two workshop sessions will be based upon you undertaking personal research into salient issues (the front-facing components of Apple stores, the ‘brand’ and customer typology) and research-informed reflexive approaches to social networking technologies.

YC5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

Year three

AD5017 -

Social Sciences Work Placement Year (Optional,120 Credits)

The Work Placement Year module is a 120 credit year-long module available on degree courses which include a work placement year, taken as an additional year of study at level 5 and before level 6 (the length of the placement(s) will be determined by your programme but it can be no less than 30 weeks. You will undertake a guided work placement at a host organisation. This is a Pass/Fail module and so does not contribute to classification. When taken and passed, however, the Placement Year is recognised in your transcript as a 120 credit Work Placement Module and on your degree certificate in the format – “Degree title (with Work Placement Year)”. The learning and teaching on your placement will be recorded in the work placement agreement signed by the placement provider, the student, and the University.

Note: Subject to placement clearance; this is a competitive process and a place on the module cannot be guaranteed.

AD5018 -

Social Sciences Study Abroad Year (Optional,120 Credits)

The Study Abroad Year module is a full year 120 credit module which is available on degree courses which include a study abroad year which is taken as an additional year of study at level 5 and before level 6. You will undertake a year of study abroad at a European University under the ERASMUS+ exchange scheme or at an approved partner University elsewhere. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. The course of study abroad will be dependent on the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria). Your study abroad year will be assessed on a pass/fail basis. It will not count towards your final degree classification but, if you pass, it is recognised in your transcript as a 120 credit Study Abroad Module and on your degree certificate in the format – “Degree title (with Study Abroad Year)”.

Note: Subject to placement clearance; this is a competitive process and a place on the module cannot be guaranteed.

AT5004 -

Year in International Business (This is made up of 5 modules studied in Newcastle (Semester 1) & Amsterdam (Semester 2) (Optional,120 Credits)

This overarching module descriptor covers the Year in International Business which is made up of 5 modules which students study in Newcastle (semester 1) and Amsterdam (semester 2).

This additional year of studies has been designed to develop students’ business awareness and their soft skills through a semester of study in the UK followed by engagement in studying in Amsterdam and working on real business projects to further enhance and develop this knowledge, skills and attributes.

Semester 1 in the UK comprises three 20-credit modules aimed at students new to business and management, which also equips the students for a semester in Amsterdam, working in teams on a “real-world”, client facing project. Of the modules studies in Semester 1 provide students with the “soft”, “analytical” and “project management” skills necessary to embark on a “real-world” client-centred consultancy project in Semester 2. In Semester 2, students will work move to Amsterdam and study two modules on Northumbria licensed premises. The first module, Group Business Consultancy Project, is a Level 5 40 credit Consultancy Project providing a supported and challenging experience with real business supervised by Northumbria and possibly Dutch academics. The final module complements the development of business knowledge and application through a contextualised consideration of International Business. This will also add to the Business Consultancy experience, thereby guaranteeing a coherent business experience.

In semester 1, students will learn in an environment aligned to that of business students on full time programmes. A mixture of large group and small group sessions will take place. In semester 2, in accordance with the experiential learning pedagogical approach in the Business Clinic operated at Newcastle Business School, the group consultancy work will involve students working in groups, facilitated by academics but also independently and amongst their peers in collaborative project work to provide real business consultancy. Assessment has been developed in accordance with Northumbria’s Assessment for Learning principles including a broad mix of assessment appropriate to the learning outcomes being assessed and with opportunities for formative feedback.

A student who passes all modules will, on successful completion of their undergraduate programme of study, have the title “(Year in International Business UK and Amsterdam)” added to their degree award title. Students who do not pass 120 credits will have those modules that have been completed recorded on their transcript.

Year four

MI6010 -

Adaptations on Film and TV (Optional,20 Credits)

In ‘Adaptations on Film and TV’ you will examine the practical and theoretical debates around the translation of a variety of texts into films and television programmes. A broad-range of case studies is covered, from adaptations of ‘high art’ such as Shakespeare and literary fiction, to the conversion of popular fiction, comic-books and supposedly ‘unfilmable’ sources. As well as considering issues of authorship and originality, you will consider the complex relationship between film, television and other media forms, from music and video-gaming to theme-park rides. Films and programmes under discussion are likely to include examples such as Adaptation, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, Sherlock, Doom, The Walking Dead, Band of Brothers, Star Trek amongst others.

MP6001 -

Professional Placement (Core,20 Credits)

This module guides you in the identification and successful completion of a work experience placement within the broader media industry; you then write a reflective report on that experience detailing how you applied skills taught elsewhere on the course. The work placement or portfolio of visits totals a minimum of four weeks (20 days). The intention is that every student will gain experience of work placement in the journalism and/or media industry, learning not only a basic understanding of the production processes at placement organisations but, using skills taught on the course, learn to become part of the placement organisation team, thereby making a meaningful contribution wherever possible to the output. You also gain insight into employability by developing CVs, personal branding skills and job interview techniques via a series of lectures and seminars. The placement is a requirement of our accreditation body, The Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) for the BA (Hons) Journalism award.

MP6004 -

Reporting Risk and Conflict (Core,20 Credits)

‘Reporting Risk and Conflict’ will equip you with knowledge and skills to critically reflect on, and analyse, how issues and events of risk and conflict are reported within contemporary national and global contexts. It will provide you with the opportunity to explore the reporting of war and conflict, genocide and political/civil unrest, political and economic risks and environmental disasters using case studies in global society. It will provide you with the knowledge and skills to analyse reporting of risk and conflict within the context of critical journalism theory and research. By the end of the module, you will have gained, at the appropriate level, knowledge and skills to engage in key debates involving the reporting, under-reporting or mis-reporting of risk and conflict societies; critically explore the factors that shape the reporting of risk and conflict; appreciate the role of the news media in the social construction, or in the management/prevention, of risk and conflict societies.

MP6005 -

Practical Media Project (Optional,40 Credits)

‘Practical Media Project’ will develop and hone practical skills that you have been taught on earlier modules and found an interest in throughout your first two years study. Through practice and support from your allocated supervisor you will not only build upon the skills that you have learnt so far, but will also develop transferable skills that are industry facing as well as transferrable to other career paths. The project involves engaging in project design, considering ethical issues, researching, organising one’s time, planning, synthesising ideas, analysing current media trends, expressing your ideas and findings in a scholarly fashion, and producing a final practical outcome in a medium of your choice that adheres to both academic and industry standards.

MP6006 -

Media Dissertation (Optional,40 Credits)

‘Media Dissertation’ involves the researching and writing of an 8,000-10,000 word media-related dissertation on a subject of your own choosing. You should attend a series of mandatory lecture/workshop sessions in which the fundamental requirements of preparing and researching a dissertation will be examined and explained. These sessions will be spread across semester 1 and semester 2. In Semester 1, you will develop your initial dissertation proposal up to the point where you are ready to start writing the dissertation itself. You will develop your information-retrieval skills, familiarise yourself with your chosen subject, find solutions to any problems arising out of your research design, consider the significance of any ethical constraints, formulate your principal research question, and determine the methodology you will use. You are required to complete a 2000 word dissertation plan as part of your progress (however, the module grade will be entirely assessed against your final 8000-10000 word dissertation). In Semester 2 you will develop and amend the ideas in your dissertation plan, carry out further research, prepare and write the final dissertation. Supervision will continue to be provided through regular meetings with your supervisor.

MP6021 -

Mass Communication Case Study (Optional,20 Credits)

This module will provide a space to familiarize yourself with the case study as a tool for the investigation of social, economic, cultural and technological phenomena connected with the field of mass communication studies. Whether your interests lie in how working class people or standards of beauty are represented in the media, success stories in the market of mobile apps, use of social media for marketing purposes or how Twitter is used in discussion of popular television, this module will offer you a mix of knowledge, materials of reference and guidance to engage in choosing, planning, conducting and writing a case study for your assessment. A key component of the module will involve the study of iconic case studies such as Apple, Sony, Microsoft, Google, News International Corporation and Al Jazeera, through which you'll be able to identify the characteristics of well-designed study cases. The module will be a valuable experience to learn aspects of the research process you could apply for writing essays, under- and postgraduate dissertations, whilst providing you with skills you could apply in a variety of professions such as journalism, marketing, public relations, and policy-making.

MP6029 -

Cinema and Society (Optional,20 Credits)

In this module, you will critically examine the relationship between US filmic institutions (films and industrial bodies – hereafter “cinema”) and different social contexts, including, for example: changes to the Hollywood Studio System (and the birthing of the “New Hollywood”), cinema’s responses to war and global trauma, and cinema’s engagement with issues surrounding race, gender and sexuality. Taught through lectures, demonstrations (film screenings) and student-led seminars, the course explores many of the ways cinema has engaged with key societal concerns.

You will be required to read and reflect on specific theoretical and empirical academic work by leading scholars and commentators and, using your analytical and interpretive skills, relate this work to the issues raised in class and by the accompanying film screenings. The module is assessed by a 3000 word essay which is designed to test your knowledge of film history and industry (one of the world's major mass communications industries), to evidence a sophisticated understanding of the issues under scrutiny, and your ability to work to a deadline. Ultimately, the module asks you to consider: What is the significance of studying cinema as a mass communications industry, an outlet for personal expression, and as a political tool? What can cinema tells us about history? What can cinema tell us about ourselves?

MP6036 -

Journalism Employability Portfolio (Optional,20 Credits)

In this module you will consider where your strengths lie in the field if journalism (or your chosen post-graduation career path) and thus what profession, activity or further study would suit you. Research and investigation of current practice is at the core of the module. Your work will reflect current contemporary practice in journalism (or your chosen profession) while taking an approach of curiosity, creativity and experimentation, showing understanding of the roles and responsibilities in your chosen field. You will realise a comprehensive and dynamic exit portfolio of work that demonstrates your capabilities as a professional journalist. You will be encouraged and supported to present your skills and abilities in a manner appealing to a potential employer, highlighting employability and flexibility through your individual project outcomes. Your in-depth research skills will translate into polished final outputs, equipping you with industry-standard knowledge of contemporary practice, technological insight and a professional and employable skill set.

MP6037 -

Sport, Media and Society (Optional,20 Credits)

‘Sport, Media and Society’ is designed so you learn to apply critical thought, sociological analysis and relevant theories to contemporary mediated-sport. The content will necessarily be dynamic and continually evolving to reflect the fluid nature of the relationship between contemporary sport and the media (particularly through the development of new and social media) as well as related theoretical and political debates. However, the module will be built around the following key themes which are likely to remain central to it• The history of mass media, using sports media as an exemplary case study, with focus on related social and cultural institutions (eg advertising and government)• Sports-media as an agent of socialisation and source of social and cultural power.• The emergence of ‘new’ and ‘social’ media (including, but not limited to, Twitter, Periscope, gambling, gaming) and its impact on traditional forms of media as well as the construction of sports-media narratives, identity and other social relations.• Underlying theoretical, ethical and political issues in the relationship between sport and the mass media, including, but not limited to, the representation of gender, sexuality, class and regional and national identities.

YC5001 -

Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

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